I’ve been a fan of Mike Holmes since the first episode of Holmes on Homes aired way back in … well, it was a long time ago. Holmes Inspection, Holmes Makes It Right, I’ve seen them all at least once and often several times over. The guy has an infectious personality, unmatched knowledge of right and wrong when it comes to home building and an urge to educate and inspire others. Those traits have been carried down to his kids Amanda, Sherry and Mike Jr., who have all appeared on his series.
After renovating his father’s garage—documented for the network with a short-run series—Mike Sr. and Jr. return to HGTV Canada with Holmes + Holmes, where they turn the latter’s bachelor abode into a great place for he and his girlfriend, Lisa. Debuting Thursday at 10 p.m. ET/PT, Holmes + Holmes is as much a renovation program as it is a spotlight on the evolution of Mike Jr. as a person while in the shadow of his superstar father. Footage of Jr. back in 2004 shows a skinny teen who is more interested in playing video games than he is hefting a hammer, but he’s learned a lot in the 12 years since.
He’s learned so much so that he’s able to challenge his dad, and has the know-how to back it up, on certain things. With $50,000 devoted to the renovation, Jr. plans to spend $30,000 on rebuilding inside with the remainder spent on outside issues. But as folks who watch these programs can attest, budgets go out the window once work commences and awful secrets are revealed as walls come down. And while Jr. is thinking of a mere facelift for his place, Sr. is leaning towards a complete gutting and rebuild of the bungalow.
There is a marked change in the tone of many DIY and renovation programming from straight hands-on, nuts and bolts stuff to a lighter, character-driven model and Holmes + Holmes is certainly that. Both men have spent hundreds of hours working in TV and know their stuff when it comes to the mechanics of a job. What viewers want now is to see folks like the Holmes’ interact and show a more personal side. You certainly get that with this; much time is spent in Episode 1 as Jr. states he’s got the knowledge to complete the job on his own without help from dad, and there is plenty of good-natured ribbing between them and a barbecue challenge. And though she’s a rookie to the TV thing, Lisa has got it together, both serving as a grounding influence for Jr. and a set of fresh eyes taking in the Holmes’ renovation process for the first time.
It’s going to be a fun ride.
Holmes + Holmes airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on HGTV Canada.
Image courtesy of Corus.
